When Words Meet Heartbeats: A No Kuni Collection
by Cantarella of Odile
Summary: Fifteen oneshots featuring pairings from the games and manga of Heart/Anniversary/Clover/Joker no Kuni no Alice. -And so begins the cycle of losing her heart.
1. Break The Cycle

**Disclaimer: **I don't own or claim to own any part of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc.

**Characters:** Various, from Heart/Anniversary Clover/Joker/Toybox/Diamond no Kuni no Alice.

**Summary: **Fifteen oneshots featuring pairings from the games and manga of Heart/Anniversary/Clover/Joker no Kuni no Alice. _-And so begins the cycle of losing her heart._

**Break The Cycle **

_There's this cycle of meetloveregret, and you're the leaf going round and round in it. _

x

x

The Wonderland sun smiles down at Alice in welcome, kissing the slopes of the rooftops and everything else within sight. But she doesn't smile back; she doesn't do anything but stare with those sea foam eyes and breathe in the illusion with her reality-coated lungs.

And so begins the cycle of losing her heart.


	2. Sweet Dreams

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own any part of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Nightmare X Alice.

**Summary: **Nightmare really grew on me. In Heart I wasn't a fan, but Clover and Joker made me love him~

**Sweet Dreams**

_Nightmares and dreams are all the same, sweetheart, if you let them be._

x

x

When Alice first met Nightmare, she thought of him as something of an enigma: outlandish, cryptic, mysterious… Devious, but not nessasarily unkind.

But ever since the Move from Heart to Clover country, different words come to mind. Childish, sickly, and lazy, just to name a few.

"_Alice," _he whines, a sulk spreading like molasses over his pale face. "How rude, to think about me that way. I _am _the lord of Clover Tower, and therefore should be thought about with respect and-"

"Sorry, Nightmare. I'm just in a bad mood," she sighs, in no mood for his rambling. Around her, the dream realm darkens in disappointment. "If you could let me sleep…"

"But Alice, you are sleeping." He floats around her. "You're just dreaming, is all."

"Dreaming within a dream?"

"In a sense."

She can't help but huff at his answer. He stares at her for a moment, concerned, before his mouth quirks up in the beginnings of a smile. "Here; allow me to cheer you up."

Before she can protest, the realm gives a sort of sigh, and rearranges itself. Flowers spring up in blooming circles of red and blue. Trees ripe with apples sway in a nonexistent breeze, and light streams down from an unseen sun.

"Is this alright?" he asks. "If this isn't suitable to your tastes, then I can change it…"

"No, this is fine." Breathless with wonder, she goes over to inspect a daisy. "I had no idea you could do this, Nightmare."

He coughs at the flattery, and offers a small grin from behind his handkerchief. "This? This is nothing. Even so…" His gaze softens. "Do you like it?"

"I love it." She sits, and leans her head contentedly against the base of a tree. "It reminds me of the place where Lorina and I would spend our afternoons…"

Pain takes root in her eyes, but her expression is so happy, so at peace, that he can't bring himself to whisper _'__Forget'. _Instead he sits down beside her, rests his head against hers and murmurs, "I'm glad."


	3. Rolling

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own anypart of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Alice X Ace.

**Summary: **While writing this I somehow got the scene from _Princess Bride _stuck in my head. You know, when Buttercup pushes Wesley down the hill and then tumbles down after him? X D

**Rolling**

_I'm winged shoulder blades and you're chain-weighted feet, but I'll give you a lift anytime you want to shoot for the stars._

_You'll have much better aim that way. _

x

x

"Ace, this is ridiculous," says Alice, struggling to keep up with his long strides. "Where are you taking me?"

He simply chuckles as he leads her through the undergrowth, her slender hand clutched in his gloved one.

"I'm serious," she insists. "We'll never be able to find our way back."

"Sure we will," he replies. "We just go north!"

"North?" she echoes. "Why north?"

"Because if we keep going north, we'll have to come across the Clock Tower _eventually, _won't we?"

Alice opens her mouth to reply, but is cut off by a change of scenery. They step out of the forest and find themselves standing atop the crest of a hill, rolling plains stretching out before them. "Ace, this is lovely, but… what are we doing here?"

"Rolling," he answers brightly.

She blinks. "Pardon?"

Instead of repeating, he shoves her. Losing her balance, she rolls down the hill, wildflowers catching in her hair and long grass slowing her fall.

Grinning, he throws himself down after her, and his booming laughter contrasts with the shrieks that spill from her mouth.


	4. Possibility

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own anypart of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Vivaldi X Alice. (Friendship or more, up to the reader.)

**Summary: **I always really liked Vivaldi, and felt bad for her. If I was in Wonderland, she and I would be best friends.

**Possibility**

_Our skin breathes secrets that fall on deaf ears, but we think you're the one that's going to stop and listen._

x

x

The queen and the outsider sit in perfect accord out in the gardens, sipping sweet sin from cups and discussing what lovely weather they're having.

_But of course they're having lovely weather- she's the queen, after all, and she can't stand to see the sky sob._

Vivaldi takes a deep breath, meaning to say things like, _We've never had a true friend before you, Alice _and _Would you consider staying the night, Alice? _because she wants to feel like the teenage girl she never got the chance to be. She wants to tell her favourite colour, and share scandals while embracing plush toys. She wants to smile a giddy smile and swap stories about love and all things feminine.

_But then she thinks of the king, and remembers just why she's so jaded about these sorts of things._

Vivaldi's dusky eyes refocus, and she finds herself staring intently at Alice. Alice stares politely back, her eyes ignorant to the pain locked behind her companion's gaze.

_And then she realizes that, even though Alice is the one that's going to stop and listen, that doesn't mean she can hear. _

But Vivaldi smiles anyway, because she has plenty of time to change that.


	5. Play Pretend

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own anypart of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Peter X Alice.

**Summary: **While I don't exactly blame Alice for disliking Peter, I do wish she'd be nicer to him.

**Play Pretend **

_Sweet dreams are holding you tonight._

_I think I'll hold you, too. _

x

x

Peter can't help but reflect on how much gentler Alice looks while asleep. Her hair is splayed across the pillow, and her hands are tucked underneath her cheek like a child as she dreams. Soft snores slip out from the gap between her lips, and he tucks the blanket in around her neck more securely, admiring this newfound side to her.

Transforming back into his human form, he carefully slides under the blankets, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from her. And even though she'll hate him even more for this, he can't resist putting an arm around her as he drifts off to sleep.

Alice knows this because, even though her breaths are even and she rejects him with righteous anger when morning comes, she's been awake this whole time.

And she can't help but reflect on _(but never admit out loud) _how Peter is much more pleasant while she's 'asleep'.


	6. HalfLies

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own any part of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Julius X Alice.

**Summary: **My OTP : " )

**Half-Lies**

_Hearts are for rebuilding,_

_But clocks are for being taken apart._

x

x

Alice stood with the tray held behind her back as she watched Julius take a drink of his coffee.

"Sixty-one," he muttered.

Her face fell. "Why only sixty-one?"

_Because you wouldn't tell me what was bothering you earlier, _he wanted to say. _Because you spent the day at the Amusement Park instead of here. Because of how you blush whenever I mention the hatter. Because-_

"Julius?" she prodded. "Hello?"

His tongue twisted itself into knots, and he picked up his screwdriver again. It was safer to lose himself in technicality than emotion. "You're improving," he grunted. "Keep at it."

She perked up. "Okay," she said, her eyes crinkling in the way he so loved.

His cheeks burned, and he took another sip to hide it. "To be honest," he mumbled, "it's more of a sixty-five."


	7. HalfTruths

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own any part of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Gowland X Alice.

**Summary: **Gowland's not one of my favourites, but I do like him a lot.

**Half-Truths**

_A melody is worth a thousand words._

x

x

The screech of bow against violin string causes Alice to cover her ears, and she grits her teeth in an effort to endure the sound.

Gowland plays on, lost in the melody. _How can he even call it that? _she thinks, aghast. _Can't he hear himself play?_

Then: _No, of course he can't. He's obviously tone deaf. It's the only explanation._

Because of the ringing in her ears, it takes her a minute to realize that he's stopped playing. "So, what do you think?" he asks.

"What do I think?" _What _do _I think? _She blinks once, twice, and tries to find a way to explain how truly horrific it was.

"Ah, I see, I see!" He chuckles good-naturedly, and gives her a clap on the back. "It was so awe-inspiring that you're at a loss for words, am I right?"

Her mouth opens, but the words tangle in her throat.

"Oh, no praise is necessary, sweet pea." He smiles at her. "I wrote that piece 'specially for you, so all I need is for you to have liked it."

Alice sighs, and rubs her forehead. _For me, huh…_

"Gowland?"

"Yeah?"

"I... liked it." The lie burns on the way out, but she can't bring herself to tell him the truth. Not with him beaming at her like that. "Thanks."


	8. Echo

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own any part of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Gray X Alice.

**Summary: **Gray's new design for Diamond no Kuni no Alice is sexy as all hell.

**Echo**

_Just because we're an echo doesn't mean_

_That we're not equally as beautiful_

_As the source of the sound._

x

x

Pens scratch against paper as Gray and Alice share a desk in the Clover Tower, poring over their respective paperwork. She's lost in the idea of territory negotiations, and he's lost in the idea of her: lost in the prospect of 'accidentally' brushing his fingers against hers, in stealing glances as she works, in maybe- just maybe- offering her a hot chocolate, just to see her smile and nod of thanks.

She sighs, and he hears the small crack of her bones as she stretches. "If you're tired, go to bed," he says more gruffly than he intended.

"You sound just like Julius," she says, and sighs again. "He would always tell me that whenever I stayed up late to help him with work."

He can almost feel his clock break. The thought that their relationship is nothing more than an echo of the relationship she has with the clockmaker… well, it hurts him more than he cares to admit.

"After all this time… you're still thinking of the mortician," he says. It's not a question.

"Yes." He raises his eyes, and finds her looking at him steadily. "He's an important person to me."

"Is that why you endure my company?" The words burn on the way out. "Because we're similar?"

Her eyes widen in surprise. "I suppose you are alike, but that's not why I like you, Gray."

"I-I see." Despite his best efforts, his cheeks redden, and his tone turns shy. "I apologize, then, for my previous assumption."

"It's alright." If he isn't mistaken, he thinks he can see a dusting of red on _her _cheeks, too.

"Then, Alice…"

"Hm?"

"Would you care for a cup of cocoa?"

"That would be nice. Thank you, Gray."


	9. Riddles

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own any part of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Boris X Alice.

**Summary: **The riddle doesn't belong to me; I found it on Google ^^;

**Riddles**

_You are the world's most uncomplicated riddle._

x

x

"Alice, I'm hot."

"Then take off your boa." She tugged at the cat boy's accessory. "You'll overheat with that thing on."

He gasped, and clutched it protectively. "Blasphemy. A cat is nothing without fur."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't complain to me, then."

"'Kay." He sulked for a moment, and then brightened. "I know! How about a riddle? To take our mind off the heat, I mean."

She glanced over at him, and rested her cheek on her palm. "Sure."

A grin slunk across his face, and his tail curled with an anticipation that she immediately distrusted. "Alright, then," he purred, "give me the answer to this:

"_I am just two and two_

"_I am warm, I am cold_

"_I am lawful, unlawful_

"_A duty, a fault_

"_I am often sold, dear,_

"_Good for nothing when bought;_

"_An extraordinary boon_

"_And a matter of course,_

"_And yielded with pleasure_

"_When taken by force."_

Alice thought for a moment, doing her best to ignore the twitters of the park attendants that had spotted her and Boris together and were now directing kissy noises at the two.

_Kissy noises. _Suddenly, it clicked. "A kiss?"

His grin stretched wider. "That's right. But I told you to _give me _the answer." His slit-pupiled eyes gleamed with laughter, and he leaned in expectantly. "Aren't you gonna give me the answer, Alice?"

"I should've known you would pull something like this," she snorted, and pushed him away. "Boris, you are a _perverted cat."_

"Aw, c'mon, Alice."

"No."

"Please?"

"_No."_

"Just _one_ kiss," he begged. "C'mon. I'll even take one on the cheek."

She couldn't hold back a laugh at his piteous expression. "No," she repeated, smiling in spite of herself. "And that's that."

"Alright," he agreed. To her astonishment, he settled back, and appeared to give up.

_Suspicious. _She cast a mistrustful look over at him. _It isn't like him to give up so eas-_

Catching her mid-thought, he pounced. She could hear the delighted squeals and applause of the faceless employees as he pressed a warm, chaste kiss to the side of her mouth. "'Yielded with pleasure when taken by force'," he reminded her smugly. Needless to say, she socked him in the face, and refused to talk to him for the rest of the week.


	10. Sensation

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own anypart of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Blood X Alice.

**Summary: **I hate this couple. I have _no _idea why it's canon. Zero. I mean, why go with Blood when you have Julius? And Peter? And Boris? *shakes head*

**Sensation**

_You say, "Tell me a lie."_

_So I kiss you._

x

x

"What are you reading, young lady?"

Goosebumps erupt on her arms at the sound of Blood's voice, and tendrils of warmth curl low in her stomach.

"That's none of your business," she snaps, trying to scoot away from him and failing miserably. The couch they sit on can barely fit them both, let alone give her room to move.

His eyes- eyes that aren't at all like _his, _not really, not with the lascivious expression they always hold- sweep over her, trailing like fingers down her neck and under the collar of her dress. "What a sharp tongue you have," he remarks, leaning forward so that she can taste the tea on his breath. His hair brushes her cheek. "Really, young lady, I thought that we were past such lowly behavior."

She opens her mouth to say something, _anything, _to distract herself from how her nerve endings crave just the slightest brush of his hand, but then his mouth is on hers and she's _drowningfallingfloatingsoari ng _in a kaleidoscope of sensation.


	11. Fireworks

**Disclaimer: **I don't own/ claim to own anypart of Heart no Kuni no Alice, as well as any related ideas/characters/ etc. Nor do I own any song lyrics, poems, or other quotations I may sample; all rights go to their respective owners.

**Characters:** Pierce X Alice.

**Summary: **Pierce is cute, but he kind of scares me. I mean, I know he's not as yandere as Peter and Ace, but still. *shudders*

**Fireworks**

_And you don't know, but I dream in colours you don't have names for._

x

x

"Alice, look!"

"Yes, Pierce, I'm looking-"

"No, you aren't! You aren't looking, you're going to miss it-"

"Okay, okay. I'm looking now."

The outsider and the dormouse take a moment to watch the fireworks bloom above the amusement park, branding temporary tattoos of red and blue on the night sky.

"The colours are so _pretty!" _

She chuckles, and places a hand on the dormouse's head. "Haven't you ever seen fireworks before, Pierce?"

"Well, yes, I have…" He nibbles on his cheese, and shoots her a sweet smile. "But the colours are that much prettier when I'm watching them with you, _chu~"_


	12. Questionable

**Disclaimer: **Tripolar: Yay, first review! *Hugs* It's a manga/otome game series. Give it a read; it's on Mangafox! And yes, you should : ) Olih: Thanks so much for everything, O wonderful friend of mine~ Jagangmyeon: Thanks for the fave and follow! Austrianatious: Thanks for the alert!

**Characters:** Twins X Alice.

**Summary: **The twins freak me out, but they look like little Ciel Phantomhives, so I can't hate them~

**Questionable **

_Love is a two-edged blade._

x

x

"Onee-chan-," said Dee.

"-would you like to hear some jokes?" finished Dum.

"Well…" Alice hedged, already wary. She didn't even _want _to know what the Bloody Twins thought was funny.

"Please?" They clung to her skirts, doe-eyed.

"Oh, alright." She caved in, already bracing herself for the worst.

The boys exchanged wide smiles, and hugged each of her arms. "Why did the faceless maid fall off the swing?"

"Why?" she asked, frowning.

"Because she had no arms!" They burst into laughter.

Alice shook them off. "Dee, Dum, that's awful!"

Their cackling died down. "Alright, onee-chan; we have another one," Dum said, not losing his smile.

"Knock, knock," Dee began.

"I'm not answering." She made to leave.

Dum latched onto her. "But you have to!"

"If you don't, we'll play a killing game with you," Dee chimed in.

Despite putting up a brave front, she shivered. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "But after this, I really have to go; Blood's expecting me for tea."

"Okay. Knock, knock," Dee repeated.

"Who's there?"

"Not the faceless maid!" Again they started to giggle, almost doubling over in their mirth.

Rolling her eyes, Alice started to walk away… only to get yanked back by two small hands. "What-"

"Thanks-," Dum told her, going up onto his tiptoes to kiss her cheek.

"-for listening to our jokes, onee-chan," Dee finished, touching his lips to her other cheek.

Alice opened her mouth to say something, but just ended up heaving a sigh. Giving a small smile, she patted both of their heads, and went off to meet Blood.

Because questionable humor or not, she couldn't find it in herself to dislike those boys.


	13. Free Fall

**Disclaimer: **PurpleRose: Thank you for the alert : ) Weeping Lilac: I love Joker, so okay! MangaAndAnimeFairy and Eaglegirl: Thanks for the follows! Olih: Haha yeah my friends and I were telling each other distasteful jokes the other day, and that's where the inspiration came from ^.^ I was telling them the swing joke, too! TwilightSilver: Thank you for the fave : ) XDgirl: Thanks for the follow!

**Characters:** Jokers X Alice.

**Summary: **This'll sound weird to most people, but I love Black Joker and actually couldn't care less about White Joker. I mean, of course I liked White Joker more in the beginning, but once he showed his true colours as a sadist the attraction died pretty damn quickly. And I didn't like Black Joker until I read about his ending, which made me squeal to no end~ I love him now.

**Free Fall **

_Love and hate are just two sides of a coin._

x

x

The coin falls from White's hand, and Alice wonders at how she falls faster.

It makes no sense, of course _(but then again, it's Wonderland; what does?), _but she can't stop it from happening, can't do anything but fall _(and pray that they'll catch her)._

"Heads or tails, bitch?" asks Black, his voice as small and sharp as a dagger when coming out of the mask at White's hip. White simply covers the coin with his hand and conceals it from Alice's view, for once not reprimanding his twin. He simply nods once to reinforce the words, and stares at her with that smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. _(The complete opposite of Black, whose eyes say everything that his mouth never will.)_

"What are we betting?" she asks.

White's smile cuts more deeply into his face, ever so charming _(and wicked and sadistic and Alice you aren't that dense, you _know _what that smile is hiding). _"Everything," he says airily, "and nothing at all." His visible eye drops to her chest, and focuses on where her heart drums beneath the fabric of her dress. "Even so, Alice, you tell me- what _are_ we betting?"

"I don't feel like wagering anything today," she counters _(but she's so breathless, so winded by the free fall that it's a miracle the words come out at all). _

He _tsks _lightly, amused, and picks up the coin from the table. From his belt, she can hear Black chuckling. "But Alice," White murmurs, pressing both the coin and his hand over her heart, "you've already gambled away the only thing that matters."

She closes her eyes briefly. When they open again, she's in the prison.

_(Her heart beats faster in both fear and anticipation, and she can't deny the thrill that wings through her usually practical mind. The stale air of the prison is heady, the coldness of the floor seeping through her shoes and shocking her into awareness. Even if this is a dream she's never felt more awake, and-)_

Still with White in front of her, she feels Black embrace her from behind, and his touch is significantly more tender than the jester's.

_(-the coin falls from White's hand, and Alice wonders at how she falls faster.)_


	14. Cliche

**Disclaimer: **Olih: I bust up laughing when I read that X D Rereading it, it totally does. WHY DIDN'T I REALISE HOW SEXY IT SOUNDED WHEN I WAS TYPING IT OUT. D : I feel disappointed in myself. Usually I'm pro at picking out dirty sentences. Purple: Thank you : )

**Characters:** Elliot X Alice.

**Summary: **Up until now I've been doing a sort of introduction for each character X Alice. After this, I'll finally be free to start my other couples/ headcanons/ parodies/etc.!

…And also, I hope at least one of you relates to this. I really do. At my school, there's too many self-esteem issues plaguing girls. _You aren't ugly, no matter how you look. _Please know that.

**Cliché **

_Just because it's a cliché doesn't make it any less true._

x

x

"A-Alice?" Elliot's eyes went round when he came in to find her sitting on the mattress, tears dribbling down her face. "Did someone hurt you? Because if someone did, I'll-"

"Elliot!" She wiped at her eyes. "N-no, no one hurt me…"

"Then why are you crying?"

"I- I'm not, really, it's just-"

"It's just what?" The springs creaked as he sat down on the bed beside her.

"I…" She looked away. "It's nothing."

"Alice." With his thumb and forefinger he gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Tell me."

She remained silent for a moment. Then her stubbornness gave out, and she said in a rush: "I don't understand why you all love me."

Elliot blinked, relaxing his hold on her. She took the opportunity to scoot away. "Why we love you?" he repeated. "It's part of the game, of course. You know that. Everyone loves the Foreigner."

She bit down on her lip to keep it from trembling. "Yes, of course," she said, and her voice cracked. Another tear ran down her face. "I knew that."

"Oh. _Oh." _Realizing how that had sounded, he scrambled to correct it. "Alice, that's not what I meant! I… I mean, yeah, it's part of the game, but nobody loves you _just _because of that. You're nice and you're strong and-"

"I'm not nice," she interrupted bitterly. "I know that it sounds like I'm asking for attention, but I'm not. I mean it. I'm not nice."

He moved closer to her, his ears sagging. "Why do you think you're not nice?"

"Because nice people don't hit others." She knotted her fingers together, thinking back to all the times she had punched Peter. "No matter how much they deserve it. Nice people aren't jealous of their older sister. Nice people aren't hypocrites," she said, memories of how she lectured people on the importance of life ringing in her ears. "Nice people aren't petty and insecure."

An inquisitive gleam entered his eyes. "Nice people also aren't compassionate," he answered. "They aren't honest, or generous. They don't give everyone and everything a chance, no matter what their role is."

She frowned. "I'm also not strong. Everyone here has to protect me-"

"We don't _have_ to protect you. We want to." He put a hand over her heart, and ignored how she flinched. "_I _want to. Besides, you're strong in a different way than everyone else is." He tapped at her apron lightly. "Your heart makes you strong."

More words spilled from her mouth, sounding as if she had never spoken them aloud before. "I'm not cute, or attractive in any way: my stomach is flabby and my chest is too small and my body is just wrong in general."

"I like how you look." His earnest eyes bored into hers, trying to make her understand. "You're pretty, Alice."

"I'm _not." _She sounded near tears again. "_Lorina_ was pretty. Lorina had hair that always fell perfectly; I can never get mine quite right. Lorina could make up her face perfectly; I don't wear any makeup at all."

"You're pretty."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Elliot, please don't lie. I know I'm not pretty." An image of her ex swam to the surface of her thoughts, and she felt her eyes burn again. "I'm flawed, I know."

He stared at her, and swallowed past the lump in his throat. "You're right," he said finally. "Everything you said about yourself was right."

She nodded once, and closed her eyes.

"You're not pretty, Alice." Reaching out, he wrapped her in his arms, and held her against him. "You're _beautiful." _


	15. Bubble Boy

**Disclaimer: **Olih: Thank yooou ; w ; I love you for reviewing my chapters. And for many, _many _other things as well, but y'know. : P Alfalfa and Delcatty: Thanks so much for following this story! Guest: No worries! I deleted your review because I removed that chapter, but thank you for your criticism : ) And I agree with you on all counts. I did make it too vague, and really failed to add any sort of description. In any case, thanks for reading!

**Characters:** The Clover Tower crew.

**Summary: **This is the last chapter, so I decided to end it on a lighter note~ While this wasn't one of my better fics (it was more of a writing exercise, actually), I hope you enjoyed it! If you liked this, then please keep an eye out for my _'Somewhere, A Clock Is Ticking: A Heart no Kuni no Alice Story'_, which will be coming out sometime in the future.

**Bubble Boy**

x

x

Alice stared at Nightmare, and then at Gray. Blinking, she opened her mouth… and shut it again, at a total loss for what to say.

Gray blinked back at her, unrepentant. Nightmare continued to weep, dramatically mopping up his tears with his favourite lavender handkerchief.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "Nightmare, why are you in a bubble?"

"Ask _him!" _The dream demon pointed an accusing finger in Gray's direction.

She arched a brow at Gray, who shrugged. "I remembered something you mentioned a while ago, Alice, about how- in some extreme cases- children were put in giant plastic bubbles, since they were too fragile to handle the world otherwise. And while the idea was faintly ridiculous, I thought I may as well try it out."

"Gray, how _dare _you?" Nightmare wailed, making to swat at his subordinate. His hand bounced off the side of the transparent ball, which brought about another round of sobbing. "I woke up this morning to find myself in this- this _torture _device! How am I supposed to drink coffee like this? How am I supposed to pet the cats?"

"The cats will do fine without you, my lord. And as for the coffee, there is a makeshift hatch in the top of the bubble; I'll hand you the coffee through there."

The incubus hiccupped, his nose crinkling in thought. "But I won't be able to do paperwork in this state, will I?" Without waiting for an answer, he burst into victorious laughter. "Ha! _Ha! _The joke's on you, Gray! I bested you this t-"

"I will also be able to hand you your paperwork through the hatch," the ex-assassin cut in.

His boss deflated. "I'll poke a hole in the bubble with my pen," he said sulkily.

"I thought you would say that, so I invested in extras."

"And if I cough up blood?"

"Then I'll take you out of the bubble, clean you up, and put you back in."

"Then I'll just…"

The two continued on, and Alice grinned to herself, hiding a laugh behind her hand. She wanted to ask Gray where exactly he had bought a supply of giant plastic balls, but, like most things in Wonderland, she was sure that she was better off not knowing. In any case, it was funny…

"_ALICE! HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY FIND SUCH AN AWFUL SITUATION AMUSING? THIS IS COMPLETELY INHUMANE; YOUR HEART SHOULD BE BREAKING FOR ME. I-"_

…even if Nightmare didn't think so.


End file.
